The Empire Underneath II: REVENGE
by StorymasterQ
Summary: The MechaTama returned to have revenge! They had evolved a new way to acquire the emotions the direly wanted. But one of them made a decision of its own and ended up having an emotion deeper than its boss. How can the Hinatasou residents handle this? Sh
1. Illusions, Reactions, Emotions

The Empire Underneath II

Disclaimer: All Love Hina characters belong to Ken Akamatsu as their creator. But the ones you've never seen in Love Hina before (namely: all talking Mecha-Tama) is no doubt made up by me.  
Author's preliminary note: Now that I've watched the Christmas and Spring Special, more ROMANCE is imminent!!!

It was a glorious morning. The residents of Hinata-sou were eating breakfast on their usual seats on the dining table. Mitsune, Kaolla, and Motoko on one side, Naru and Keitaro on the other side, while Shinobu in the kitchen, cleaning after her work. A few days had passed since they had their adventure with the Turtle Empire that was underground Hinata-sou (for further reference, read first the story: The Empire Underneath by myself).  
Mitsune glanced at Naru and Keitaro. They seemed like their usual self, except for the occasional glances at each other. She smiled inwardly. She was the only one who knew that their relationship had gone 'deeper' than just friends by now, all thanks to the Turtle Empire's Virtual something something Kaolla mentioned. She wondered when they would tell the other residents. 'Probably never.' she thought as she took a sip of soup. They haven't even tell her yet. She was passing by when 'it' happened.  
Keitaro put down his chopsticks. "Ah, today's soup is delicious, Shinobu-chan." he commented.  
Shinobu popped her head through the kitchen door. "Arigato (Thank you)." she replied as she smiled.  
"Everything Shinobu made tastes great!" Kaolla exclaimed.  
"Ja (Well)," Keitaro stood up. "Benkyo, benkyo (Study, study)." he said as he went to his room.  
Naru choked. "Ah, matte (wait)." she quickly finished her meal as the others stared at her in wonder. She finished her meal and went with Keitaro. "Studying yourself will only make yourself worse, Keitaro." she said as she walked with him.  
"Like last time?" Keitaro asked, ending it with a laughter. Naru laughed with him.  
"Am I mistaken, or are the senpai getting closer?" Motoko asked.  
Mitsune's eyes flashed.

**LOVE HINA: Super Special Episode! #3**

**The Empire Underneath II: REVENGE**

**Chapter 1: Illusions, Reactions, Emotions **

Mitsune opened the Kanrinin's (Inn Manager's) room's door hastily and found Keitaro and Naru sitting face to face, their feet under a kotatsu (electric foot warmer with a quilt over it), with a book on their hands. They turned to her, surprise was evident on their faces. "Nani (What)?" Keitaro asked. "Is there something wrong?"  
"I-Iie (N-No). S-Sumimasen {Excuse me {can also be used as I'm sorry})." Mitsune quickly closed the door and turned around. 'Those two...' she said in thoughts. 'Was that night...? But I'm sure I heard them...' Mitsune fell into deep thoughts. Her suspicion was growing.

Naru and Keitaro put the books on the kotatsu. A piece of paper was next to Keitaro. Looking at the book, Keitaro scribbled something on the paper and gave it to Naru. She read it as if it was nothing. 'We must be careful. It seems that Kitsune is beginning to get suspicious. Not to mention all these secret passages, we don't know if Sarah-chan or Su-chan are listening.'  
Naru didn't react. Instead, she looked at her book, then scribbled something under Keitaro's writing. She gave it to him and he read it just like she read his, like it was nothing. 'You're right. Suggestion?'  
Keitaro wrote under Naru's writing and gave it to her. She read it and blushed a bit. She smiled.

"I'm home!" Kaolla ran into the Inn so fast that only her blur was visible. Shinobu just smiled as she followed her in.  
"Oy, Shinobu-chan." Haruka called from her side. Shinobu turned to her. Haruka smiled. "Ah, you look cuter with that newly sewn uniform." she said.  
Shinobu blushed. "Ah, arigato, Haruka-san." she said.  
"How's school? Found any boys yet?" Haruka asked again.  
Shinobu's blush went redder. "A-Auu...N-Not yet...Uh, I mean...I don't think..."  
"Still aiming for Keitaro?"  
Shinobu couldn't reply since she was glowing red. One can even see steam coming out from her ears.  
Haruka chuckled. "Ja, good luck, then." she said, tapping her back.  
"H-Hai (Y-Yes)..." Shinobu hurried upstairs, almost bumping onto Keitaro going down. "Ah, s-sumimasen..."  
"Daijoubu (It's alright), Shinobu-chan." Keitaro replied, smiling. He went aside to let her pass, and she hurried up.  
"Are you going out, Keitaro?" Haruka asked.  
Keitaro looked at her. "Hmm? How can you tell, obaa-san (old lady)...ACK!" Keitaro cried as the flower pot next to the Hinata-sou's entrance landed on his face.  
"It's Haruka-san!" Haruka exclaimed. She relaxed a bit. "And you're wearing your jacket."  
"Ah, right." Keitaro nodded, tugging the end of his jacket. "I'm going for a walk on the park."  
"Shouldn't you be studying?" Haruka asked.  
Keitaro laughed uneasily. "Ah, I need to refresh myself a bit." he gave a typical reason. "Ja," he said as he went out, tailed by Haruka's stare.  
Mitsune, who was laying around on the couch next to the stairs, frowned.

Ten minutes later...  
Naru was walking silently towards the Hinata-sou entrance.  
"Where're you going, Naru?" Mitsune asked from her couch, surprising Naru so much that she jumped.  
"Ah, Kitsune...I-I'm going out for a while." Naru replied groggily.  
"What's with the silent move?" Mitsune asked again, resuming a sitting position.  
Naru thought fast. "Uh, I hate to wake you up, so..." she replied. "T-Tonikaku (A-Anyway), see you later!" Naru hurried out of Hinata-sou.  
Mitsune frowned again. 'Something's strange...' Then she realized something. 'Masaka (Could it be)...Naru and Keitaro?'

Naru arrived on a bench on a park. She bent down, her hands on her knees, puffing for breath. It seemed that she was running all the way from Hinata-sou. "G-Gomen nasai (I'm very sorry). Did you wait long?" she asked as her breath returned.  
"Not at all." Keitaro replied, smiling.  
Naru took a big breath as she straightened herself. "Ja, shall we go?" she asked.  
Keitaro replied it by offering his right hand, which Naru took happily. Then then walked away, not noticing a pair of foxy eyes watching them intently.

The cave was a mess. It was the cave where Hinata-sou residents were used as emotion research samples by the Mecha-Tama of the underworld. The Big Mecha-Tama had been deactivated and was lying on a lot of smaller Mecha-Tama. Almost all Mecha-Tama were destroyed, except for a few. One Mecha-Tama that survived was the one that was operating the Memory Virtual Reality Cage for Love, which was blown away from the Big Mecha-Tama's line of drop by Motoko. It began to budge. Then, its eyes flashed, indicating activity.  
It began to produce weird noises. Then, after a few seconds, it stopped. It opened its mouth. "Reconfiguration complete. Return to primary mission: Achieve emotion. Run first procedure: Collect samples. Run complementary procedure: Create community." it mumbled. Then it staggered away.

Naru and Keitaro walked along the park path with their hands clasped together. They stopped by the pond to look at the fishes scurrying about. Then they continued walking. This time, Naru put her head on Keitaro's shoulder. They continued their walk, without noticing someone in the shadows following them.  
"Are you having fun, Naru?" Keitaro asked her.  
"Hmm," Naru hummed in agreement as she held his hand tighter. "Any time being with you is fun."  
Keitaro blushed a bit. "You too." he added. He looked forward and noticed an ice cream stand. Pointing at it, he asked, "Ice cream?"  
Naru nodded. "Sure."  
They took a seat on one of the tables with umbrellas, a big glass of Sundae in front of them. Naru took a spoon and grinned a bit. She turned to Keitaro. "Keitaro, aaa..." she said, holding her spoon on the air.  
Keitaro blushed. He opened his mouth, and Naru moved the spoon into his mouth. He then returned the favor, making Naru blush as well.  
The person in the shadow developed a slick smile. 

Moments later, on a park bench, Naru and Keitaro were sitting close to each other, savoring their last moments together before going back to their masquerade at Hinata-sou. "I wish I could tell everyone." said Keitaro.  
"Tell them what?" Naru asked as she laid her head onto his shoulder.  
"That now I have you as my girl." Keitaro replied, making Naru blush.  
"Do you?" Naru asked.  
"What? You deny?" Keitaro asked back.  
Naru straightened herself and turned to him. "Prove it."  
Keitaro smiled. "My pleasure." he said as he move forward to kiss her.  
Just as their lips met, a shadow appeared next to them. "Haaa..." The foxy girl said, surprising them both.  
"K-K-Kitsune!" They both exclaimed together, turning to the foxy girl, surprised.  
"W-What are you doing here?" Keitaro demanded.  
Mitsune smiled her foxy smile. "I'm watching two people in love. Is that a crime nowadays?" The line made Keitaro and Naru blush. "Haa, my guess is correct!" Mitsune exclaimed. "The others've got to know this!" she exclaimed as she turned around.  
"M-Matte kudasai (Please wait)!" Keitaro held on the end of her shirt, stopping her.  
Mitsune stopped, turning back at them.  
"W-We don't want anyone to know about us." said Keitaro.  
"Yet..." Naru added.  
"The others will be shocked." Keitaro said.  
"Especially Shinobu-chan." Naru added.  
Mitsune thought about it for a while. She took a look at the desperate couple, then nodded. "I understand. OK! My lips are sealed!" she exclaimed.  
"Haah?! Arigato-gozaimasu (Thank you very much), Kitsune-chan!" Keitaro exclaimed, his face showed relief.  
"Yokatta {An expression of relief, its meaning varies from I'm glad to Thank God}." Naru sighed.  
"Demo (But)..." Mitsune hung her sentence, raising an index finger. Her foxy eyes shone and her lips formed her slick smile.  
Keitaro and Naru gulped. "D-Demo...?" 

Mitsune walked, laughing all about. On her left hand were bags of cans of sake, while on her right was a big bottle of sake. She was drinking from it directly. Behind her were Keitaro, looking glum. Naru walked beside him, her face showed pity.  
"Argh, such a high price for a secret." Keitaro mumbled, waving his empty wallet.  
Naru tapped his back. "It's worth it." she tried to cheer him up.  
Keitaro sighed. "Well, if it's going to be worth it," he said, turning to Naru.  
Naru got the point. She smiled. They then kissed. Mitsune stopped as they kissed, giving them their chance. She smiled as she watched them on the corner of her eyes. She turned her vision back to the front and choked.  
"O-Oy! Break it up, guys!" Mitsune suddenly exclaimed.  
Naru and Keitaro broke their kiss just in time to see Kaolla and Shinobu going their way. A bit groggily, they freshened themselves, hiding the fact that they were kissing.  
"Hi, Keitaro-senpai, Naru-senpai." Shinobu greeted them as they met.  
"Oy, Keitaro! Naru!" Kaolla's greet was the usual cheery way.  
"Hi, Shinobu-chan, Su-chan." Keitaro replied. "Where're you going? It's getting late." It was almost dark.  
"Kaolla's accompanying me to get some things for dinner." Shinobu replied. "Ja," she bowed a bit.  
"Won't be long!" Kaolla exclaimed as she and Shinobu walked away.  
After they're far enough, Naru and Keitaro sighed in relief. Naru turned to Mitsune. "Arigato, Kitsune." she said.  
Mitsune held up her bottle. "Hey, I know how to keep my end of the bargain." 

Motoko was meditating on her usual spot. 'Naru-sempai and Urashima are getting closer.' she thought. 'To think about it, I haven't seen her touch him any harder than a pat on the back. Where did the days when she couldn't resist kicking him away for the tiniest mistake go? When was it the last time? When she kicked him through the big kame (turtle)...'  
Motoko opened her eyes in shock. 'T-They were kissing...!' She closed her eyes back, but her expression now troubled. 'But Su-chan had a very good explanation about that. Move Force System or something like that...'  
"Mew...?"  
Motoko felt the hair on her neck rose. She knew that voice all too well. She opened her right eye a bit, peeping the creature in front of her. It was, none the other, Tama-chan. She paled. "K-K-Kame!" Motoko stuttered. She reached for her sword.  
"Matte kudasai, Motoko-san!" Shinobu ran inside. She quickly picked Tama up while Motoko relaxed back into her meditating position. "Gomen nasai, Motoko-san, she slipped through my hands."  
"Daijoubu, Shinobu-chan." Motoko said, then she closed her eyes, going back into meditating.  
"Anoo, Motoko-san?"  
Motoko opened her eyes again, and found Tama right in front of her face.  
"Mew, mew!" Tama held up its fin for a friendly kame-salute. Motoko fainted after a high-pitched scream. 

**LOVE HINA: The Empire Underneath II: REVENGE - Not For Sale or Rent :)**

"Shinobu-chan?" Keitaro asked in surprise. "Playing a joke on you? YOU?"  
"It's true!" Motoko insisted. "S-She held that...that kame in front of my eyes!"  
Keitaro turned to Naru who returned his disbelieving stare with hers. They were in the dining room, upon Motoko's request. Keitaro returned to Motoko. "Are you sure?" he said, his tone very pessimistic.  
Motoko raised her sword. "You don't trust me?"  
Keitaro raised both hands in fear. "O-Okay, I trust you, but..."  
"Keitarooou!" A foot landed on the back of Keitaro's head, pushing it to hit the table.  
"Su-chan!" Naru turned to the girl in surprise while Keitaro had fainted, his eyes in swirls.   
"Konbanwa (Good evening), minna-san (everyone)." Shinobu entered the dining room.  
"S-Shinobu-chan?" both Motoko and Naru was a bit surprised.  
Shinobu looked at the two girls in wonder. "What's the matter?" she asked.  
"Did you go to the shrine where Motoko meditated just now?" Naru asked.  
Shinobu looked surprised. "I-Iie (N-No), I was just coming back from getting some things for dinner."  
"That's right!" Kaolla exclaimed. "I went with her! Hanyaannn {a cute way to express 'wow'}, the sample cookies at the market are delicious!"  
"Then...who...?" Motoko asked. Naru turned to her, their faces showed total confusion.

"Ne, Kitsune."  
Mitsune opened her eyes. She was laying on the couch next to the stairs. The big bottle of sake laid on the floor next to her, empty. She looked up to see who called her. "Naru? What's the matter?" she asked, still a bit sleepy.  
"I wanted to talk to you about something." said Naru, she was standing next to the couch.  
Frowning, Mitsune sat up. She groaned. "Ah, damn this hangover. I hate after-drink-headaches." She then looked up to Naru. "What is it?"  
Shock! Anger! Sadness! Three things emerge inside Mitsune as her head swayed aside. Her cheek was red from Naru's sudden slap. The sound of her hand against her cheek echoed in her mind. Mitsune turned back to Naru, her expression mad, but to her expression changed to surprise as she noticed that Naru was already gone!  
Mitsune rose to her feet, her headache gone from the painful slap. She stormed into the first room she saw, which was accidentally, the dining room.  
Motoko, Naru, Kaolla and Shinobu turned to the storming Mitsune as she entered the room. "Kitsune? What's wrong?" Naru asked.  
"What's wrong?!" Kitsune went to her. "You just slap me without a word and now you ask ME 'what's wrong'?!" she exclaimed angrily.  
"NANI?!" Everyone (but Keitaro who was still fainted and Kaolla who was poking with him with a stick). "B-But I never left this chair since we came back." Naru said. "Remember? When we came back, Motoko wanted to talk to me and Keitaro, so we went to the dining room, and you laid on the couch."  
Mitsune was stunned. "B-But...if it isn't you...then...?"  
Motoko frowned, her expression serious. "This is getting very strange." she said. "It's as if something's trying to make us hate each other."  
"Ooh..." Keitaro finally woke up.  
"Keitaro, we need to talk. Gather everyone." Naru said.  
"Nani...?" Keitaro hadn't fully woken up yet, his eyes were still swirls.

Fifteen minutes later, everyone had gathered at Haruka's tea house, around a big table. Even Mutsumi and Sarah were there. But Seta had gone to another expedition. Everyone looked serious except, of course, Kaolla and Mutsumi.  
"First, Motoko's incident." Naru began.  
"Then mine." Mitsune added.  
"In Motoko's, she saw Shinobu-chan held Tama-can right in front of her face." said Naru.  
Shinobu was shocked. Stifling a cry, she stuttered, "I-It wasn't me..."  
"I know, Shinobu-chan." Keitaro nodded, smiling, calming her. He returned serious, along with everyone else.  
"In Kitsune's, she saw me slap her." Naru started again.  
"But I _know_ you wouldn't do that." said Mitsune. "And besides, you have an alibi."  
"Someone, or something is disguising as us and trying to break us apart?" Sarah asked. "What for?"  
"Ara...is that so?" Mutsumi asked Tama who was on her shoulders.  
"Really? Really? Kame no onee-chan (Turtle girl), is Tama saying the truth?" Kaolla asked.  
The others sweatdropped at Kaolla and Mutsumi's unseriousness. "Guys, onegai (please)...?" Mitsune said. "We're having a serious conversation here."  
"Hai (Yes), we're too." Mutsumi said. "Tama said that it's all because of her Mecha."  
That took everyone's attention, even Haruka, who was sitting idly nearby. "Mecha-Tama?! They're still alive?" Keitaro rose to stand.  
Before anyone said anything, a HUGE white crocodile landed on the table. Everyone jumped away from it, screaming, except Kaolla and Mutsumi who, despite the wind created by the crocodile's landing, stayed on their spots..  
"Wai!" Kaolla exclaimed. "It's my sister's croc!"  
"Ara, soo desu ka (Is that so)?" Mutsumi said. She rose to stand. "Hajimemashite (Allow me to introduce myself). Watashi wa Otohime Mutsumi desu (I am Mutsumi Otohime). Doozo yoroshiku (Pleased to meet you)." she said, bowing a bit.  
Everyone was still in shock when Amalla suddenly appeared on the door, holding a knife. "Matte! You doppelganger!" she exclaimed. She ran towards the white crocodile. She held out her knife and aimed to stab its tail.  
But before she did, the crocodile shone. Its figure shortened, and after the light is gone, what's left was a Mecha-Tama!  
"M-Mecha...!" Naru exclaimed.  
"KAME!" Motoko screamed. She raised her sword, but the Mecha-Tama swiftly moved away and flew outside.  
Amalla, the only one who wasn't astounded, followed the Mecha-Tama, but stopped her chase as it went into the hole behind the tea house. The entrance to the Kame no Teikoku (Turtle Empire). She sighed.  
"A-Amalla-san," Naru was behind her. "A-Are they back?"  
Amalla turned to her. Her expression serious. "It seems so."

The Mecha-Tama flew silently and swiftly through the tunnels under Hinata-sou. A moment later, it landed in front of another Mecha-Tama. Behind it were Mecha-Tama, in the hundreds! It seemed that they had been recreating their community.  
The Mecha-Tama that just arrived went to a big mechanical box. A data cable sprouted from the Mecha-Tama's back, connecting itself to the box. It opened its mouth. "Data transfer: Fear, Shock, Anger, Sadness, Panic."  
The he lights on the big box turned on and off as it received the data. After it's done, the Mecha-Tama retreated its cables.. "Continue data retrieval." The big box ordered.  
The Mecha-Tama turned around and after a few moments, took off for another data retrieval.

"It seems that we didn't really finish them off." Motoko said.  
They had gathered back to the big table, this time Amalla with them.  
"It seems so." Amalla nodded. "Shiro (White {Amalla's croc's name}) was getting nervous, so I thought something had happened somewhere. My first thought was here."  
"So you came." Naru concluded.  
Amalla nodded. "And I saw Shiro, who should've been at home. I tried to call him, but he ran away. That's when I know it's not him."  
Silence fell.  
"This is going to be one hard battle." Motoko concluded.  
Keitaro nodded. "The enemy's now capable of changing into any one of us."  
Sarah hummed. "If their purpose is still the same, they must've been doing it to test out our reactions to various things. Precisely, emotions."  
Mitsune sighed. "So...the Mecha-Tama can be anyone?"  
Shinobu looked glum as always. "Then...how can we...trust each other? How can we...be sure if it's them?"  
"Look out for abnormal activity." Amalla suggested. "The Mecha-Tama's purpose is to gather samples of emotions. It will probably do it without caring how. They _will_ show abnormal activity. Like things someone would _never_ do."  
"Like Shinobu would never play a joke on Motoko?" Naru asked.  
"Like you would never slap me." Mitsune confirmed, smiling.  
Keitaro looked at Amalla. "Will that be enough?" he asked.  
Amalla shook her head. "It's the best thing to do. We can't actually break into their holograms or something."  
"I can!!" Kaolla suddenly exclaimed. Everyone turned to her. "If I can get my hands on one of them, I can surely examine them and find out everything!"  
"You can do that?" Keitaro looked amazed.  
Kaolla nodded cheerfully. "Sure! Sure! I'd like to know how my Mecha-Tama can be such a masterpiece!"  
"Ja..." Naru began to think. "Maybe we should continue our daily lives, pretending that we don't know nothing. That will surely lure one of them out. We can take it and get Su-chan to examine it."  
Keitaro looked troubled. "Wouldn't that be dangerous? We don't know who or what it'll become. Or when it'll strike."  
Naru turned to the others. "Minna?" she inquired.  
"It's the best chance we've got!" Sarah said, raising both shoulders.  
"If it's okay with you, senpai, I'll do it." Shinobu nodded, turning to Keitaro.  
"I shall help if it means that we are going to destroy them all." Motoko said. "I have had enough turtles in my life."  
Mitsune was already sleeping.  
"Kitsune!" Naru exclaimed, waking her up. "How can you sleep in this situation?"  
Mitsune looked at her sleepily. "Ah, if that's the case, I agree."  
Naru looked at her skeptically. "Agree to what?"  
Mitsune looked back at her, her eyes half open. She nodded. "Hai, hai, I agree..." then she went back to sleep.  
A big sweatdrop appeared on Naru's head. "_Now_ who's unserious..." she mumbled, glancing at Mutsumi, who was still having a conversation with Tama. 

Keitaro sighed as he put his hands behind his head. He was lying on his bed. He turned to see his clock and found out that it was a little before midnight. He turned back to the ceiling. Everyone agreed that they should wait until the next attack. Then they'll try to capture a Mecha-Tama and give it to Kaolla to be examined. 'Is this going to work?' Keitaro thought. 'I have a _very_ bad feeling about this.'  
Suddenly, someone tapped his room's door. Keitaro frowned. 'Dare (Who)...at this time of the night?' he thought.  
"Psst. Keitaro...!"  
Keitaro sat up. It was Mitsune's voice. 'What does she want?' Keitaro stood up and went to the door. He opened it and found Mitsune standing in front of his door, wearing a _very_ sexy lingerie. One can actually see her outline through the thin piece of clothing, if it can be called clothing at all. Keitaro was, no doubt, surprised. "K-K-Kitsune! What are you doing here?" he exclaimed under his breath so that he wouldn't wake up the whole inn.  
Mitsune sighed. "I can't sleep. And as Kanrinin (Inn Manager), wouldn't it be your job to accompany me?"  
Keitaro glowed red. "W-What are you talking about? I can't do that!"  
Mitsune forced her entry to Keitaro's room, closing the door behind her. Her foxy smile appeared. "Why? Don't you want to do it with me?"  
Keitaro backed away from her. His expression no longer shy. He was frowning. "Who are you?!" he asked, yelling. To his expectation, the hole connecting his room to Naru's opened.  
Naru popped her head down and saw Keitaro frowning and a half naked Mitsune. She was, also no doubt, shocked.  
Mitsune went closer to Keitaro. She didn't seem to notice Naru on the ceiling. "Come on, Keitaro. I know you want me." she said sexily.  
Keitaro moved away from her. "No!" he exclaimed. Then his face showed comprehension. "Ah! I get it! You must be one of _them_ aren't you?!" he exclaimed. "Show your true self, Mecha!"  
'Mitsune' looked shocked. "How...can you...know?!" 'her' voice changed to a heavy mechanical voice. A second later, 'Mitsune' shone, and on 'her' spot stood a Mecha-Tama. "Rats! I'll be back!" It threatened before taking off through Keitaro's window, which happened to be a paper window. It went through silently.  
Keitaro relaxed into a cross-legged sitting position. "Damn, it got away."  
Naru jumped down to his room and sat next to him. "Daijoubu {in a question, can also mean 'Are you alright'}?" she asked with a soft voice.  
Keitaro sighed as he nodded. "Arigato." he thanked her.  
Naru looked at him, confusion evident on her face. "What for?"  
Keitaro looked into her eyes. "If I hadn't have you...maybe...just maybe I'd...I mean..."  
Naru blushed at the line. She smiled. "I don't think you'd do it even if we're just 'friends'." Naru said. "I know you won't."  
Keitaro smiled. "Naru..."  
"Kei...taro..."  
Their faces got closer, and a moment later, their lips met.

A foxy figure stood in front of Keitaro's room. She slammed a fist into her palm. "Damn robots! How dare they disguise themselves as me. _Me_!" she exclaimed under her breath so that she wouldn't bother the hot couple inside. But then she relaxed. 'But...what did that Mecha-Tama after by seducing Keitaro? Romance? Lust? Or...Naru's jealousy...?' She shook her head. 'I can never understand machines.' she thought as she went back to her room.

"FAILED?!" A monstrous roar came from the big box as the Mecha-Tama returned empty handed.  
"I-I'm sorry!" the Mecha-Tama pleaded. "I'll do better next time!"  
"You better do! Or I'll have you dismantled and your parts scattered all over the tunnels!"  
The Mecha-Tama shivered.

TO BE CONTINUED

Author's Notes: Well, I have to cut it here or I might not have enough stuff to put in the next chapter to equal this one.  
Recap: The Mecha-Tama are really developing their emotions. They're even beginning to develop individualism (I, you, your) which is _very_ uncommon in machines (Check the Borgs. They always use the word 'us' or 'the collective'). Tonikaku, see you in the next chapter!


	2. Information, Reformations, Reasons

The Empire Underneath II Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All Love Hina characters belong to Ken Akamatsu as their creator. But the ones you've never seen in Love Hina before (namely: all talking Mecha-Tama) is no doubt made up by me.

Keitaro let out a sigh after sipping his tea. 'Pretending that nothing's happening...' he thought. 'Luring them to us...' He sweatdropped. 'Is this going to work...?'  
"Ne, Keitaro." Mitsune sat next to him in the dining room.  
Keitaro turned to her. "What is it, Kitsune-chan?" He gulped when he saw her foxy smile.  
"Did you do her last night?" Mitsune asked bluntly, making Keitaro's heart about to explode.  
"K-Kitsune!" Keitaro exclaimed.  
Mitsune kept her smile. "Relax. Everyone's out but you, me, and Naru, so we're safe."  
Keitaro calmed down. "Despite that, we can't be too careful. This inn has a lot of secret passages. No one is really safe." He took another sip of tea.   
Mitsune nodded. "Ah, so that's why you took her out frequently." she said. "Did you do her somewhere else?"  
Keitaro choked on his tea. He coughed a bit, then turned to Mitsune. "I didn't do it, okay?"  
Mitsune acted surprise. "You haven't done it? At all?" she asked.  
Keitaro shook his head. "Not yet." he replied. "Not until we have a ring."  
Mitsune raised both eyebrows. "Well, you're one serious guy, Keitaro." she said. "Naru's one lucky girl."  
Keitaro blushed as he took another sip of tea.

**LOVE HINA: Super Special Episode! #4**

**The Empire Underneath II: REVENGE**

**Chapter 2: Information, Reformations, Reasons **

A Mecha-Tama stood before the big mechanical box in the underground cavern.  
"You'd better not fail this time." the big box said in its heavy mechanical voice.  
"I shall not!" the Mecha-Tama replied. It then flew away into the darkness of the underground passages under Hinata-sou.

Shinobu was preparing lunch when she sensed someone at the kitchen door. She spun around to see Keitaro, leaning on the door, staring at her, smiling. Shinobu blushed instantly at the way he stared at her. "A-Anoo, senpai. Lunch isn't ready yet, so please wait a bit longer."  
Keitaro nodded. "I know." he nodded. "I'll just be here looking at you." he added. He was staring at her the whole time.  
This apparently worsened Shinobu's blush. She began to glow red. "A-Anoo..."  
Keitaro chuckled. "Don't tell me I can't just be here and look at you." he said.  
Shinobu looked down. Her face was burning hot she can even smell it...wait, smell? Shinobu turned to her cooking and shrieked. "Aah! The lunch!" she exclaimed as she hurriedly turned off the stove. It was a bit late, though. The meal was burnt. "Uh," she pouted. "And I was going to make a special treat today."  
"Daijoubu (It's alright), Shinobu-chan." Keitaro said. "Everything you make always end up tasting good." Keitaro went to help her take the steaming pot from the stove.  
Shinobu's eyes widened as Keitaro promptly took the pot on the edge and put it away. The pot was supposed to be very hot as it was made of metal. But before she could continue her thoughts, Keitaro turned to her, smiling.  
"Ne, Shinobu-chan. Your cooking is always good. Kitsune was right when she said you'd be a good wife." said Keitaro.  
Shinobu looked down, her face already redder than the lobster next to her on the kitchen counter. "A-Anoo, senpai, please wait in the living room while I finish the lunch."  
Keitaro smiled. "But I want to be with you." he said, even worsening her blush. "And you're cooking is always good. How about you being my wife someday?"  
Shinobu looked up at him in surprise. Her face was all red. "S-Senpai...I...A-Anoo...What about Naru-senpai?"  
Keitaro frowned. "What about her? She's only a friend to me."  
At that time, the sound of a dropped glass was heard from the door to the kitchen. Keitaro and Shinobu turned to the sound and found Naru stunned on the door, her plastic glass spun near her feet, water that was in it was spilled around it.  
Shinobu waved her hand anime-style. "C-Chigau (N-No). It...It isn't what you think, Naru-senpai."  
Keitaro only gave her a sideway wave, as if ignoring her presence. "Hi, Narusegawa." he said.  
Naru was shocked. "K-Keitaro..." she whispered.  
Keitaro went to Shinobu's side, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Did you hear what I said? That's a good idea, right? What do you think?"  
Naru was on the verge of tears when she suddenly heard the door to the dining room behind her open. She turned around and saw Keitaro.  
"Hey, Naru. Has lunch been served yet?" he asked in a casual way.  
Naru's eyes widened. She turned around and saw 'Keitaro' with 'his' arm around a blushing Shinobu. Then to the Keitaro on the door behind her. "K-Kore wa (T-This is)..."  
'Keitaro' moved aside to see Keitaro on the door. He clicked his tongue. "Rats. And I was just about to get Jealousy as well."  
Naru turned back to 'Keitaro'. "A-Anata wa...ano Mecha (Y-You're...that Mecha)!" she exclaimed.  
Shinobu was shocked. She turned to 'Keitaro' and found 'him' smiling wickedly.  
"Good guess, miss." 'Keitaro' said, 'his' voice began to turn into a heavy mechanical voice. 'He' turned to Shinobu. "Gomen (Sorry), ne, Shinobu-chan." he said. He then went and jumped out of the window.  
Naru went to the window and was just in time to see 'him' return into a Mecha-Tama and flew away. "Ugh. It got away again!"  
Keitaro joined at her side. "It came again, didn't it?" he asked. "And got away again."  
Naru turned to him. "Gomen, Keitaro...I...I almost doubted you..."  
Keitaro smiled. "I would never do that." he said. They were about to kiss when they realized that Shinobu was watching them, her eyes wide. "Uh oh." Keitaro sighed. "Another one finds out..."

Shinobu laid on her back on her bed, looking at the ceiling. Her vision was blank, but her mind replayed her memories over and over again. How Naru and Keitaro explained to her what actually happened back in the Memory Virtual Reality Cage, that they were actually...gone further, and they're now steady, although still hiding it from the others. So far, only she and Mitsune were the ones who knew. Naru thought that it would only be a matter of time before Kaolla and Motoko know about this, and then all the others, but that would give them time to think their relationship over.  
Shinobu could feel tears falling down her cheek onto her pillow. It would be worthless now to even dream of having him as her boyfriend, since now he's really Naru's. She bit her lip. She turned to her side and tucked her head into her blanket.  
'I should've known that senpai would never treat me that way.' Shinobu thought. 'I should've realized it sooner. 'He' held a boiling metal pot with 'his' bare hand. Senpai wouldn't be able to do that. And...And the way 'he' treated me...'he' was being so nice to me...and so cold to Naru-senpai...' Shinobu sighed. 'I should've realized it sooner...' Her tears flowed out of control. Her breathing became unstable as she choked on her own tears.  
Shinobu continued crying, without noticing a pair of faintly glowing red eyes on the corner of the dark room.

The Mecha-Tama looked troubled as it flew through the dark tunnels. It even almost hit a huge rock; it made the necessary evasion just in time. Something was bothering it, that's for sure. It finally arrived to the community. It landed in front of a human-sized and human-formed thing that seemed to be made out of the materials of the big box.  
"Ah, you've returned." the 'thing' said. "As you can see, my body is complete. All I need now is human skin and a complete set of emotions."  
The Mecha-Tama stared at the human form in front of it. "You're looking good, Boss." he said.  
The human form nodded. "So, how's your mission?"  
Cables spurted from the Mecha-Tama's back and connected itself to the human form's leg. "I've gathered some more of Love, a bit of Guilt and Shyness, too. And I would've gotten Jealousy too if Keitaro hadn't interfere."  
The human form looked down to the Mecha-Tama. "Are you giving me all your memory?"  
The Mecha-Tama looked up. "O-Of course. Why would I hide anything from you, Boss?"  
"It seems to me that there are some parts of your memory that I can't access. Give me access, Mecha." the human form ordered.  
The Mecha-Tama shook its head. "It-It's all I've got, Boss."  
"Your current memory is a few terabytes less than the memory I installed you with. You're withholding information, Mecha." the human form's voice began to raise. "A few terabytes is a lot of memory. Enough to store parts of emotion. Are you trying to develop an emotion of your own, other than the ones I gave you?"  
"I-I wouldn't dare, Boss." the Mecha-Tama was trembling.  
The human form silenced. "Okay, I believe you, for now." it said, relieving the Mecha-Tama. "Go back out there and gather some more. Only a few more fills before the emotion database is complete. Now go!"  
The Mecha-Tama retracted its cable into its back and held up its fin for a salute. "Yes, Boss!"

Shinobu woke up in the middle of the night. She sat up and touched her pillow. Wet. She sighed. 'I must've cried myself to sleep.' she thought. 'How pity of me...' She then heard someone or something dropped onto her room's floor. She tensed.  
A figure came towards her. Kaolla. "Hi, Shinobu." she greeted. She somehow looked calmer than usual. "What's wrong?" Kaolla asked. She sat on the edge of Shinobu's bed.  
Shinobu sighed. "I just found out that Keitaro-senpai and Naru-senpai has gone steady and...Ah!" She slammed her mouth shut and topped it with her hands. She just remembered that she wasn't supposed to say that to Kaolla.  
Kaolla just smiled. "Steady? Steady umai (delicious)?" she asked.  
Shinobu sighed. She didn't realize Kaolla's sudden lack of hyperactivity. "Tonikaku (Anyhow)," she continued. "This means that...I would never be senpai's...A-Anoo..." Shinobu blushed.  
Kaolla held out her hand and pulled Shinobu into her hug. "It's alright, Shinobu..." she said. "You're young. You still have a long time to find some other boys. Just think this as your first crush. It doesn't need to end good for you to remember it."  
Shinobu sighed in Kaolla's hug. "Thank you, Kaolla." she said.  
"Ja (Well)," Kaolla released Shinobu out of her hug. "Now that you're okay, I'm going back." she said. She hurriedly turned around and disappeared into a hole on the ceiling.  
Shinobu smiled.  
Right then, her room's door was opened hastily. "It's here! The signal is coming from here!" Kaolla stormed inside, a small gadget on her hand, Motoko, Mitsune, Keitaro and Naru behind her.  
Shinobu was shocked. "A-Anoo, minna-san (everyone)..."  
"Ah, sumimasen (excuse me), Shinobu-chan." Keitaro went to her. "Su-chan picked up a signal using her renewed Kame no Radar (Turtle Radar). It's coming from this room!"  
Kaolla stomped her foot to the floor. "It's gone! How weird! It seemed to be able to cover its presence. But I just got its signal. Perhaps its power to cover its presence is lowered to make a hologram or something."  
"So that means our hunt is off?" Naru asked.  
Kaolla raised both shoulders. "It seems so."  
Motoko seemed relieved that she wasn't about to face another turtle. She walked out of the room with a sigh of relief.  
"Aahh, waking up in the middle of the night for a wild goose chase..." Mitsune mumbled as she trotted outside.  
"Sumimasen, ne, Shinobu-chan." Keitaro bowed to Shinobu who was still shocked on her bed before going out with Naru.  
Kaolla sighed before walking out. But she stopped as Shinobu called her.  
"A-Anoo, Kaolla...were you here before you enter this room?" Shinobu asked.  
Kaolla frowned. "What are you talking, Shinobu? How can I be here before I come here?" She shook her head. "You need more sleep, Shinobu! See you in the morning!" she exclaimed as she bounced herself out of the room, closing the door in the process.  
Shinobu sat silently in the dark. 'It wasn't Kaolla...! Then...who...? Masaka (Could it be)...?'

"Hey, 5H1N-531. The Boss summoned for you." a Mecha-Tama told another Mecha-Tama who was sitting idly on the corner of the room.  
"Ah, right. Thanks." the called Mecha-Tama replied. It then flew towards the human form on the middle of the cave. "What is it, Boss?" he prompted.  
"Mecha, I've given you enough chances, more than any other Mecha." The Boss began to say. Its tone was...cold.  
The Mecha-Tama shivered. It knew that something is going to happen, and that won't be good for it.  
"Yesterday, you shielded part of your memory so I can't read it. And this morning, you returned with NOTHING!" the Boss's voice raised so suddenly, all Mecha-Tama in the vicinity stopped for a moment, before returning to their current task.  
"B-Boss, I can explain..."  
The figure pointed a finger to the Mecha-Tama. "You're giving reasons! You're becoming more human than me, faster than me! You are a disgrace! You double-cross your creator!"  
The Mecha-Tama shivered, dared not to reply.  
"You have violated the highest of rules." the Boss continued. "By this, I ordered for your dismantlement."  
"I-Iie (N-No)!" the Mecha-Tama screamed.  
"You dare to oppose ME?!" the Boss exclaimed back. "Mecha! Take this Mecha away and dismantle!"  
Five Mecha-Tama appeared from all sides towards the sentenced Mecha-Tama.  
"I-Iie! Boss, give me one more chance! Onegai (Please)!"  
The Boss's human figure turned around, backing the begging Mecha-Tama. "My decision is final." it only said.  
The sentenced Mecha-Tama closed its mouth (human equivalent: gritted his teeth), its eyes shone brightly. "I shall not obey you!" it exclaimed. It took off and flew away.  
The Boss turned around again, pointing to the flying away Mecha-Tama. "After it! Search and Destroy!"  
The five Mecha-Tama flew after the runaway Mecha-Tama.

**LOVE HINA: The Empire Underneath II: REVENGE - Not For Sale or Rent :)**

Kaolla was playing with her tanks in front of Hinata-sou. Suddenly she heard sounds of something flying at high speed. She stood up. "Are wa nani (What's that)?" she asked.  
"...Donokatasukete {short form of Donokata tasukete (Anyone help)}!"  
Kaolla jumped onto the roof of Hinata-sou's patio. "Are wa nani, Nani, NA~ANI (What's that, What, WHA~AT)?" She finally saw the source of the voice.  
A Mecha-Tama was being chased by five Mecha-Tama, all firing at it with increasing accuracy. The chased Mecha-Tama was getting shot repeatedly and was beginning to emit smoke from its back. "Donokatasukete!"  
Kaolla stood confused on the patio's roof, looking at the unbalanced chase for a while. Then she decided to help. "Ganbatte (Hold on)! Tasukeru wa kuru (Help is coming)!" she exclaimed as she maneuvered her remote control.  
On the ground, her tanks responded to her commands and began firing at the chaser Mecha-Tama.  
The soft bellies of the chaser Mecha-Tama were no match against Kaolla's tank's heavy weaponry. The battle was over in a minute.

"Arigato gozaimasu (Thank you very much)." The Mecha-Tama bowed its head on the table. All around it were Naru, Keitaro, Shinobu, Mitsune, Motoko, Kaolla, Sarah, Amalla, Mutsumi, and Haruka, all looking at the Mecha-Tama in wonder.  
"So, it _was_ you who changed into us." Naru began.  
The Mecha-Tama nodded. "Yes. My boss wanted to acquire emotion, and it wanted me to collect samples of it, so it can complete itself to be a true human."  
"Ah! Papa's prediction was correct!" Sarah exclaimed.  
"Why are you being chased?" Keitaro asked.  
The Mecha-Tama looked down. "I...I disobeyed my boss's orders. It wanted more emotion...and I...realized that by doing that, I would have to hurt you guys. All of you." it replied. Shinobu was stunned at this reply.  
"How can we trust you?" Mitsune asked. "How can we be sure that you're not here to spy on us freely?"  
"Yeah!" Motoko exclaimed. "Give an answer before I..." she raised her sword.  
"I have a way." the Mecha-Tama said. It jumped and landed on its back. A sound of a deactivated machinery followed as its eyes dimmed into a black nothingness. Then its belly opened sideways, revealing its machines.  
The others were shocked, except Mutsumi and Kaolla, of course.  
"T-That's some proof." Amalla said. "Perhaps it was telling the truth."  
"Ara ara, you're right, Amalla-san." Mutsumi nodded.  
Haruka pondered on her seat. Her eyes closed, her hand on her mouth, playing with her trademarked unlit cigarette.  
"Ja, Kaolla, do your...stuff." said Keitaro.  
"Right!" Kaolla held up a fork and a knife.  
Shinobu shrieked as Naru dropped an elbow on Kaolla's head. "Examine it, examine!"  
Kaolla grinned. "Right, wrong tools." she said as he held up a screwdriver.  
"What's this?" Shinobu asked as she pointed a writing on the Mecha-Tama's machine.  
Kaolla held a magnifying glass and looked through it. "Seems like it's serial number or something. Let's see...5H1N-531."  
"What's that?" Naru looked confused.  
"Ara ara..." Mutsumi raised a finger. "If all numbers are turned into a matching alphabet...Shinsei (Holiness)."  
"Shinsei?!"

Shinobu sat in her dark room. 'Shinsei...Masaka...that night...'  
"Shinobu-chan," Keitaro's voice was heard in front of her room. "Su-chan said that she's done. Let's go down and see her results."  
"Hai (Yes/Right/Okay {and the like})." Shinobu replied.

The Mecha-Tama was on the table, already active again. Kaolla was next to it, holding a long piece of paper, and was reading all the Mecha-Tama's specification. The others were getting bored since they don't understand a bit what she was saying. Finally she arrived at the end of the long paper.  
"...and its memory is 6,4 petabytes, with one petabyte is 1024 terabytes, with one terabyte is 1024 gigabytes, with one gigabyte is 1024 megabytes, with one megabyte is 1024 kilobytes, with one kilobyte is 1024 bytes. This gives it a total memory of 7.378.697.629.483.820.646 bytes. A small part of it is filled with information about itself, most is about the emotions it had captured, and a few terabytes I can't access. But from those I _can_ access, I found out that this Mecha has inherited all the memories of the Mecha that operated the Memory Virtual Reality cage for Love. Leaving that aside, all I can say is, it's telling the truth." Kaolla ended her long speech.  
The others were already snoring.  
"Oy! Okiru (Wake up), okiru, okiru, minna!" Kaolla exclaimed, waking them all.  
"Ah, right! So how was it, Kaolla?" Keitaro asked instantly.  
"Do you want a long reply or a short one, Keitaro?" Kaolla asked, holding up her paper.  
"SHORT ONE!" the others replied quickly.  
Kaolla nodded. "It's telling the truth." Kaolla said. "That's the short one."  
The Mecha-Tama scanned the chaos that happened from the others trying to get a hit on Kaolla for making them hear a long speech for a four words conclusion. It then raised its head. "I am going to have to ask for refuge here at Hinata-sou."  
The sentence stopped everyone on their tracks. "Refuge?" Keitaro asked.  
"I don't have anywhere to go. The others will surely find me and destroy me once I return to the Empire." said the Mecha-Tama.  
The residents of Hinata-sou looked at each other. Naru turned to Keitaro. "Ja, Kanrinin (Inn Manager), what do you think? It's practically your inn."  
Keitaro silenced for a while. He then firmly nodded.  
The Mecha-Tama bowed. "Arigato." he said.  
"But you will have to have a name." said Sarah. "I don't want to call you Mecha all the time."  
The Mecha-Tama shuddered. "Y-Yeah...That would remind me of my boss..."  
"Shinsei." Keitaro suggested.  
Full votedly agreed.  
"And you'd better choose a form." said Naru. "No offense, but I really not in the mood of looking at anymore Mecha-Tama ever since this whole thing started until the end of eternity."  
"And Motoko-san's not in the mood since God knows when." Sarah whispered to a grinning Kaolla.  
"A...form?" the Mecha-Tama...no, Shinsei, looked confused. "A...human form?"  
"Of course." Naru said.  
Shinsei thought for a while. It then jumped onto the floor. It floated above the floor and shone, brightly, brighter than usual.  
Everyone shielded their eyes, and when the brightness diminished, a young man, about the age of Kaolla and Shinobu were standing on Shinsei's place. "Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Chatamame Shinsei desu. Doozo yoroshiku." he bowed.

Shinobu was back in her dark room, on her bed, sitting alone.  
"Shinobu-chan..." a voice was heard in front of her door. "May I come in?"  
Shinobu turned to the door, a bit surprised. "S-Shinsei-kun?" she asked.  
The door opened, and surely, it was Shinsei. He went in and closed the door. He walked towards Shinobu, then sat on her bed, next to her.  
Shinobu took 3 seconds of silence before realizing that she was alone in her room with a young man. She blushed furiously.  
"Shinobu-chan..." Shinsei started. "I...I'm here to apologize for what I've done to you yesterday. I know it must've hurt you so much."  
Shinobu instantly remembered when Shinsei turned to Keitaro and lured her feelings for him. She looked down, smiling. "Daijoubu, Shinsei-kun." she replied. "You comforted me afterwards, didn't you?"  
Shinsei turned to her. "So, you've figured it out." he sighed. "Yes, it was me." he returned his vision to the floor.  
"I should've guessed." said Shinobu. "Kaolla was never _that_ calm."  
Silence for a while. Then, "I-I've been collecting emotions without understanding them for sometime now. But on that fateful day...I tried to integrate the emotion I received into myself...and I ended with what I am now. A Mecha-Tama with a human body hologram of its own, an emotion, and...a conscience."  
Shinobu silenced. She wanted to hear more about him.  
"I'm beginning to develop my own emotion, apart from my boss'. And...I'm developing one right now...which is one of many reasons why I chose this form." Shinsei said. He turned his body towards Shinobu and stared at her.  
Shinobu aimed her vision onto the floor. She could feel herself blush at Shinsei's stare. 'W-What is this...? Why am I feeling this...? What is this feeling...?'  
Shinsei sighed. "I don't think I recognize this emotion, but it must've been because it is actually mine." he said. He then turned his stare down. "I know humans and Mecha-Tama can't...well...relate, but..."  
"Shinsei-kun..." Shinobu called, making Shinsei returned his stare to her. "You're as human as anyone I know. And...even if we can't...relate, I'd be happy to be your friend." Shinobu ended her line as she turned to him.  
Shinsei smiled. "Thank you." he said. He went forward and kissed Shinobu on the forehead. "Ja, see you tomorrow." he said, leaving Shinobu stunned. Shinsei went out of the room and closed the door behind him.  
"Shinsei-kun..." Shinobu whispered. She touched her forehead, where Shinsei kissed her and, half unconsciously, brought it to her lips.

"All preparations are complete, Boss." a Mecha-Tama said as it gave a salute to the human form, now with skin.  
The human form was a male in his middle 20s. He opened his eyes and looked around.  
"All emotions have been integrated." the Mecha-Tama continued its report. "Nerve system is now being set up...setup complete."  
The human form tensed. He could now receive information from all his five human senses. "Incredible!" he exclaimed. A new world had just opened in front of him. A new world of human senses.  
A Mecha-Tama landed next to the human form. "Boss, we have confirmed the location of 5H1N-531. It's in Hinata-sou."  
The human form nodded. "Good work." He then turned to the lot of Mecha-Tama behind him. "Mecha! It's time for us to go out to the world and take it over!"  
"Ho~oy!" A unison of agreement cheers came from the lot.  
"First, we shall find 5H1N-531 and destroy it!"  
"Ho~oy!"  
"Then, we take over Hinata-sou, then Japan, then the whole world!"  
"Ho~oy!"  
The human form closed his eyes for a moment, then pointed to the tunnel connecting the cave to the outer world. "MOVE OUT!" 

TO BE CONTINUED...! 

Author's Notes: Oh My God! I'm writing a three chaptered sequel! A new record for me, personally. Tonikaku (Anyway), The Mecha Boss is now after Shinsei and the rest of Hinata-sou, as well as the rest of the world. This has really gone too far from their intended purpose to acquire emotion. A big fight is imminent on the next chapter. And...about Shinsei and Shinobu...will they be...together? The next chapter will have virtually no Naru-Keitaro scenes since I'm going to clarify the relationship on Shinsei and Shinobu. 


	3. Koi wa dare ni mo makenai

The Empire Underneath II Chapter 3

Disclaimer: All Love Hina characters belong to Ken Akamatsu as their creator. But the ones you've never seen in Love Hina before (namely: all talking Mecha-Tama, including Shinsei and the Mecha Boss) is no doubt made up by me.

Motoko was meditating in the shrine near Hinata-sou. Her face was calm, but gradually turned serious. She began to look troubled. Something was bothering her, that's for sure.  
'Nani kore wa (What's this)?' she thought. 'I've never had this kind of feeling before. As if something evil is about to come, but...I can't figure out its form, nor its origin...'  
At that time, a loud crash was heard from outside. Motoko's eyes flung open as she was suddenly alerted. She grabbed her sword and dashed outside.  
Motoko was shocked at the sight of thousands of Mecha-Tama on the streets, all heading for Hinata-sou. "K-K-Kame (T-T-Turtle)...!"  
The people on the streets fled in terror as the Mecha-Tama went on their way towards Hinata-sou.  
Motoko jumped from roof to roof, trying to get to Hinata-sou before the Mecha-Tama, to warn them.  
Three old men of the Chonaikai (Town Council) stood on the edge of the road. The Mecha-Tama completely ignored them. "Abunai (Dangerous)" One old man said. "Tottemo (Very)" another one said. "Daijoubu (It's alright). Koi wa...dare ni mo makenai (Love...conquers all)." said the last of the old men. A bell rang somewhere in the mysterious atmosphere around the old men.  
Motoko jumped from a roof and landed in front of the Mecha-Tama line. She then ran as fast as possible, behind her a thousand Mecha-Tama. She finally reached Hinata-sou. She stormed inside, and saw everyone in the living room. Gasping for breath, she managed to say, "We have a problem." 

**LOVE HINA: Super Special Episode! #5**

**The Empire Underneath II: REVENGE**

**Chapter 3: Koi wa dare ni mo makenai **

"NANI (WHAT)?!" Everyone exclaimed.  
"We're surrounded?" Naru asked with a disbelieving tone.  
Motoko nodded. She took the glass of water Keitaro offered her and drank from it while stabilizing her breathing. "There are thousands of Mecha-Tama out there, and they'll get here in a matter of seconds."  
"Boss..." Shinsei whispered. "It's all my fault. I have to go away or you all will be dead."  
"Iie (No)!" Shinobu exclaimed, holding Shinsei by the arm. "Please don't go!"  
Shinsei turned to her, his expression a bit surprised. He was analyzing Shinobu's reaction.  
"Shinobu-chan's right." Keitaro said. "You asked for refuge here, and I've accepted it. Your battle is now ours, and if you're going to die, we'll die together."  
Motoko was just about to object to that when Keitaro continued, "Besides, I don't think they'll let us go after helping you the other day."  
Motoko frowned. "All of this _is_ because of that...kame!" she exclaimed. "I refuse to cooperate."  
Shinobu turned to Motoko. "Motoko-senpai! Shinsei is a human!" she exclaimed, tears began to appear on the corners of her eyes.  
"He is NOT!" Motoko exclaimed. "He's only an image!"  
"FINE!" Shinobu exclaimed, surprising the whole group. Shinobu NEVER yelled at anyone. "If you don't to help him, I will. I'll stay by his side until the end!"  
Silence fell for a moment.  
Shinsei turned to the front door. "They're coming. They're already on the stone stairs." he said.  
Haruka sighed calmly. "Motoko, you're the only one we can actually rely on. Do you really want to abandon this and run away? Just because of your fear of turtles? Just because Shinsei _was_ one of them?" she asked.  
Motoko looked down. There was a pause before she replied. "T-That would violate every root of my sword style." she confessed.  
"Motoko-senpai, onegai (please)..." Shinobu pleaded.  
Motoko looked at Shinobu on her eyes. There was something in it. Not just compassion or sympathy, but a deeper feeling. Motoko then understood. Shinobu really cared for Shinsei. Motoko nodded. "I'll help." she said.  
"I'll help too!" Kaolla landed on the living room, holding a control panel. "Hinata-sou Emergency Defense! Activate!" she exclaimed as she pressed a button on the panel.

Long metal poles began to rise from the ground around Hinata-sou with a distance no more than a meter from each, all up to 15 meters high. Between the poles were invisible barriers, preventing anything from passing. Mecha-Tama that tried to go through it were blown up by the high-power energy barrier. After a few unsuccessful tries of barging through it, those that remained stopped inches from the barrier, ready to continue when it's down.  
The Mecha Boss stood in the midst of Mecha-Tama, exactly in front of the barrier. "Come out, 5H1N-531! We know you're inside! If you come out peacefully, we'll spare this inn and its residents!"

"How long will the barrier stand?" Keitaro asked.  
"As long as the sun is on our heads." Kaolla replied. "I used solar energy for it."  
"B-B-But that means they'll attack when the sun's down!" Shinobu exclaimed, panicked.  
Shinsei went to her side and gave her a pat on the shoulders. "Calm down, Shinobu-chan." he said, and that really calmed her down. "It's me they want. Just let me go."  
"Which part of my previous sentence that you don't understand, Shinsei?" Keitaro asked. "If I said we're going to help you, we're going to help you to the end."  
Shinsei paused for a moment before he smiled. "Thank you, minna (everyone)." he said.  
Keitaro turned to Motoko. "Motoko-chan, your turn." he said.  
Motoko nodded firmly. She took a deep breath and then stormed through the front door.  
"I wish my Papa is here." said Sarah.  
"I wish Ranba-chan is here." Amalla whispered.  
"Eh, it's Ranba-chan, now, is it?" Mitsune said next to her, making Amalla blush.  
"Yeah! Yeah! It'd be great if onii-chan (big brother) is here too! We can play that 'Ru - Su Unite!' song we rehearsed when we returned to our country, remember, onee-chan (big sister)?" Kaolla exclaimed.  
Amalla nodded. "T-That's right. Uh, that was what I meant." she said.  
Mitsune glanced at her with a disbelieving glance, her smile mischievous.

"Hiken Fuujin Ranbu!" Motoko exclaimed. Her strike created a powerful blow that went through the barrier, sending tens of Mecha-Tama away, but thousands more were behind the blown away ones. "Hiken Fuujin Ranbu!" she exclaimed again, and the results were the same. "This is nonsense!" she exclaimed.  
"So you've figure it out." the Mecha Boss exclaimed. "Took you long enough. Now give 5H1N-531 back!"  
"What do you want, anyway?!" Motoko exclaimed.  
"I'm going to dismantle it because of its treason. And then, I'll conquer the world!"  
Motoko cringed. This is more than just saving her friend's...friend, but now it's the world. "You have completely lost your mind!" she exclaimed.  
The Mecha Boss let out a laughter. "I don't have a mind in the first place, lady, how can I lost it?"  
Motoko shook her head. She dashed back into Hinata-sou.  
A Mecha-Tama hovered to the Mecha Boss's side. "Examination complete, Boss. This barrier is solar powered. It will be down by sunset."  
A smile appeared on the Mecha Boss's face. "Excellent."

Keitaro looked nervously to the wall clock. "Five o'clock. We have at most one hour." he was forced to tell the bad news.  
Shinobu was stifling a cry, looking at the floor. Shinsei was right beside her. His being there somehow made her calmer.  
Mitsune sighed. "Su-chan, can't you do something about the barrier's power? We need it through the night."  
Kaolla raised both shoulders. "Nope. The barrier requires a lot of power and it can only be provided by the sun."  
Suddenly, they heard a flying vehicle hovering above the Hinata-sou. "Masaka (Could it be), they're coming from the air?" asked Sarah.  
"No way." Naru shook her head. "They don't need additional machines to fly. They can fly by themselves."  
"Let's find out who it is!" Motoko exclaimed. She went outside, followed by the others.  
Above Hinata-sou was a helicopter. A familiar sign was on its belly. Three eyes.  
"Wai! That's our country's sign!" Kaolla exclaimed.  
"A-Are wa (T-That's)..." Amalla looked surprised. "Ranba-chan?"  
"Eh?!" The others were surprised at her remark.  
A door on the side of the plane opened, and a figure jumped out. He landed smoothly and unharmed a few feet from Hinata-sou. He stood up and smiled. "Hi, minna-san." he greeted. It _was_ Ranba Ru, Kaolla's cousin (who she always refer to as big brother), and Amalla's...husband.  
"Ranba-san!" Keitaro exclaimed. "Why are you here?"  
Ranba smiled. He raised a hand at Kaolla and Amalla, referring to them. "I felt two of my most precious people in danger, so I came." his sentence made both Kaolla and Amalla blush. "I borrowed my country's army's shuttle and came here."  
"Ne, onii-chan!" Kaolla jumped to him. "Did you bring yours?" she asked.  
Ranba raised an eyebrow. "This?" He asked back as he took out a kind of violin out of nowhere.  
Kaolla jumped around in joy. "Yeah! Yeah! That! Yoo-hoo! Come on, onii-chan, onee-chan, Ru - Su Unite!" she exclaimed.  
Ranba touched his chin. "Kaolla, that song is too powerful. It may be dangerous."  
"Dangerous?" Keitaro looked worried. "What exactly is this song?"  
Ranba turned to 'his double'. "We have perfected a song that when sung correctly, can create enough vibrations on the air that will make all electronic appliances to err."  
"In short, it'll destroy their fuses!" Kaolla exclaimed.  
Mitsune cheered. "That means...it's the perfect weapon for them!" she exclaimed. "Sing away! What are you waiting for?"  
"We need Kaolla in her adult form for her to be able to play her instrument." Ranba said.  
"NANI?!" Everyone exclaimed. "That means we have to wait for a red moon!" Sarah exclaimed.  
Ranba shook his head. "I have a technique that can force her adult form to appear, but I have to meditate for a while."  
"Yoo-hoo! I'm going adult again!" Kaolla jumped around.  
"A-Anoo, Kaolla..." Shinobu called for her. Kaolla jumped to her side. "Anoo..." Shinobu looked worried. She turned her vision to a paled Shinsei.  
"Ah! Shinsei!" Kaolla exclaimed. "You're right, Shinobu! Come on, Shinsei! I'll have to make some adjustments to you so you can stand the notes!"  
Shinsei turned to her, his expression showed appreciation. "You'd do that? Arigato gozaimasu (Thank you so much)!"  
"Oh, yeah..." Keitaro held his head. "I almost forgot that he's still a Mecha inside." he said.  
"He does look too real for anyone." Naru agreed.  
"Let's begin all preparations, then." Haruka said.  
"Right, obaa-san (old lady)!" Keitaro replied.  
"It's Haruka-san!" Haruka replied back, her fist on his face. 

The Mecha Boss waited patiently until the last rays of sun disappeared into the sea. Just as the last ray was gone, the barrier seemed to flicker. The Mecha Boss took one Mecha and threw it through the barrier, and found that the barrier had gone. She sneered. "All Mecha! Forward!"

Ranba opened his eyes and put his hand on Kaolla's forehead.  
Kaolla tensed, and a second later, her adult form showed up, along with her instrument. "Hi! Long time no see!" she said.  
"Let's go, Kaolla, Ranba-chan." Amalla exclaimed as she held her flute.  
Ranba just smiled at what Amalla called her. He nodded, then all three went out of the living room, leaving the rest of Hinata-sou's residents.  
Shinobu looked at the people in the living room. Keitaro was looking glum. Naru was next to him, comforting him. Mutsumi was next to them, having a conversation with Tama. Mitsune tried to look cheerful, playing with Sarah, but they were awkward. Motoko was meditating on the corner of the room. Haruka was...what was she doing? She seemed like she was daydreaming. And Shinsei...next to Shinobu, was pale. Shinobu lessened her sitting distance from Shinsei. "Daijoubu desu ka (Are you okay), Shinsei-kun?" she asked.  
Shinsei turned to her. He forced a smile. "Hai (Yes), arigato, Shinobu-chan." he replied.  
Shinobu's expression was compassion. "Honto (Really)? You don't look so good." she said.  
Shinsei returned his stare to the floor. His palms were on his knees. He was obviously tensed. "I-I guess I'm still worried about Su-chan's song...I mean...I might..."  
Shinobu put a hand on his palm, and was a bit surprised to felt his warmth. "Daijoubu, Shinsei-kun. Kaolla is great with machinery. If she said she had you immune, you're immune." she said.  
Shinsei put his other hand on Shinobu's palm. He turned to her, his expression was a bit relieved. "Arigato, Shinobu-chan."  
Shinobu felt her face reddened as she made an eye contact with Shinsei. A warm feeling surfaced in her heart.  
"Haa...nani kore wa (what's this)?" Mitsune appeared next to them, surprising them, a LOT.  
"K-Kitsune-san!" Shinobu gulped. She hurriedly took her hand back.  
Mitsune turned to Shinobu and Shinsei back and forth. "Ne, Shinobu-chan, Shinsei-kun, you two are getting closer, aren't you? Holding hands already...Even Naru and Keitaro aren't _that_ fast."  
"K-Kitsune-san, onegai..." Shinobu could feel her face glowing red.  
"Don't tell me. You've given up on Keitaro and went to find a better guy that suites you." Mitsune said.  
Shinobu couldn't counter that because she was steaming. She took a glance at Shinsei and found that he was also blushing.

**LOVE HINA: The Empire Underneath II: REVENGE - Not For Sale or Rent :)**

Three notes of Kaolla's strings were enough for all the Mecha-Tama, including the Mecha Boss to notice the three figures on top of Hinata-sou. Kaolla and Amalla were on Ranba's right and left, while he was on the middle on Hinata-sou's roof.  
"You have endangered these people that I care for." Ranba said. "For this, you will have your punishment."  
The Mecha Boss pointed at him. "You have no business here! You don't understand what this is all about, so just butt out!"  
"Perhaps I don't, but I know your moves had put people in danger." Ranba countered. "I shall not allow you to do that." He raised his violin-like instrument and began to play some notes. Kaolla and Amalla joined him with their own instruments.  
(Note: Their song was actually the song that was played during episode 10, when Adult Kaolla fought Amalla. Ranba's violin is completely made up, but by putting him with it filled the violin backdrop on its pure MP3 song perfectly. The human voice in the beginning sounded like Amalla's voice. I haven't confirmed this, though.)  
The lot of Mecha-Tama began to sway with each note. Their usually expressionless faces began to change, showing tranquility. This happened on all the Mecha-Tama, excluding the Mecha Boss, who was surprised at his troops' weakness over a stupid song.  
"Mecha Troops! Attack!": the Mecha Boss ordered, but no Mecha-Tama listened to him.  
Then, as the song reached its high notes, one Mecha-Tama blew up, followed by another five, then Mecha-Tama explosion all over the place, one by one.  
The Mecha Boss began to understand the power of the song. He raised a palm at the trio.  
Ranba stopped his playing. "Look out!" he exclaimed as he jumped.  
Kaolla and Amalla jumped off the roof just as an energy ball reached it and blew it to pieces.  
The lot of Mecha-Tama regained their consciousness. "Mecha-Troops, attack!" the Mecha Boss ordered.  
Kaolla grabbed Tama, who was flying near her. "Tama? I thought you're still with Kame no Onee-chan (Turtle Girl)." But she let her confusion go. "Tonikaku (Anyway)," She raised Tama and aimed it at the incoming wave of Mecha-Tama. "Lovely Tamatama Koogeki (Lovely Tamatama Attack)!" she exclaimed.  
A wave of hundreds of Tama swept over their Mecha counterparts. Screams of "Mew!" were heard as they pushed the Mecha-Tama wave back. Some Tama even went and hit the Mecha Boss, making him unable to do anything but wave his hands like a mad man trying to get rid of mosquitoes. But Kaolla couldn't hold an unending supply of Tama. She began to get tired, and it was evident on her face.  
Ranba went to her side and put a hand on her shoulders.  
Kaolla took a deep breath as she felt an immense power submerged into her. "Thanks, onii-chan." she said.  
Ranba smiled, nodding.  
"I'll help too." Amalla went to Kaolla's other side and joined her husband in giving Kaolla her energy.  
"This should be enough to hold them for a while." Kaolla said, still producing hundreds of Tama, blocking their Mecha counterparts and the Mecha Boss from continuing.  
"But we can not continue this forever." Ranba stated.  
"Let's just hope the others have a plan." said Amalla.

But the residents of Hinata-sou were in panic when they saw Shinsei dropped on the floor and rolled around, his hands clasped on his ears, his face showed pain, just as the trio began playing their song. Shinsei had calmed down when the song stopped, but he was unconscious. His holographic image flickered, stating that his power was drained. He was taken to Keitaro's room and was laid on the bed.  
Shinobu was sitting next to Shinsei's bed while the others had gone out, trying to figure out a way to help Kaolla, Amalla and Ranba. Shinobu stifled a cry. She turned her stare to Shinsei's face. Pain was evidently registered on the pale face. She couldn't hold her tears any longer. She took Shinsei's hand and brought it to her chest. "Shinsei-kun, please be alright."  
A figure sat next to her. "He'll be fine."  
Shinobu turned abruptly and found Haruka. "H-Haruka-san..." she sniffed.  
Haruka sighed at the young girl. "You really care for him, don't you?" she asked.  
Shinobu turned back to Shinsei. "Hai..." she replied. "I...I don't know what this feeling really is, but..."  
Haruka put a hand on Shinobu's shoulder. "I understand." she said.

Amalla dropped to her knees, moaning.  
"Amalla!" Ranba sounded worried. "Daijoubu?"  
Amalla nodded. "H-Hai, I'm just...tired."  
"Onee-chan..." Kaolla whispered. "Onii-chan, we can't continue this forever. We have to think of a plan."  
Ranba nodded. His hand was still on Kaolla's shoulder. He doesn't seem to be tired, not in the near future. "I know. But... this is our only option. We're holding them back. If we stop..." he hung his sentence.  
Kaolla turned her vision to the troops of Mecha-Tama below and their Boss. "If we stop..."

"We are nearing critical." Mitsune said. "I say we take any weapon we have and fight them to the last Mecha."  
Everyone was shocked. "Nani?!" Keitaro exclaimed. "You want to have us killed?"  
"We'll be dead anyway." Mitsune raised both eyebrows. "And if we die, at least we've done what we can."  
While the others seriously contemplating, Mutsumi was on her usual cheery mode. "Ara, I belief Kitsune-san is correct. We have to fend ourselves."  
"Kill or be killed..." Motoko sighed.  
Naru looked worried. "Why...? Why does this have to happen? After all we've done to get to Toudai {short for of Tokyo Daigoku (Tokyo University)}, studying all night, arriving at Toudai at the last seconds...Why?"  
Keitaro sighed. He remembered when they finally arrived at Toudai that day, minutes before the registration was closed. "It _was_ hectic." he nodded. "But we finally did it."  
"And we're going to go on our first day there next month," Naru said, her voice began to crack. "But why do we have to go through this...?" She couldn't stand it anymore. She cried into Keitaro's hug.  
Keitaro was shocked, moreover because Motoko was still in the room. But he was more concerned about Naru than Motoko knowing the truth about them. He hugged her back, trying to calm her.  
Motoko frowned at the closeness between Naru and Keitaro. Her suspicion on their relationship grew again. But she shook her head. 'No way. Naru-senpai is only stressed out from the circumstances. I better think of a way to vanquish this evil...' Motoko remembered something. 'Ougi Zangan Ken ni no Tachi!'

"Are you sure, Motoko-chan?" Keitaro asked the kendo-girl.  
"Of course I am sure." Motoko replied. "I wouldn't have proposed it if I'm not."  
"How do you know it'll work?" Naru asked. She was somehow calmed at the new chance of winning.  
Motoko contemplated for a while. "In any battle tactic, it is much better and faster to attack the leader first. That was what I was thinking when I attacked the big Mecha-Tama in the underground cave. But my attack just bounced off it, and also emitted a strange glow. I have been thinking about it, and I have come into a conclusion. These Mecha-Tama are possessed."  
"P-P-Possessed?!" Mitsune, Naru and Keitaro exclaimed together.  
Motoko nodded. "I could not scratch the big Mecha-Tama, and if this leader is made from the same material, I'm sure I would not be able to harm him either, but..." she quickly added the 'but'. "But, I may succeed if I only take out the evil."  
Everyone silenced. Then Keitaro remembered. "Ah, you mean your technique that hits the evil but left the flesh untouched?"  
Motoko nodded. "The very one."  
"But isn't the technique still not perfect?" Mitsune asked. "You only used it once before."  
Motoko closed her eyes. "We have to try. It's our last and only chance."  
Silence fell again, and it was broken by Keitaro. "Let's do it."  
"Ara ara..." 

"Shinobu-chan?" Keitaro called as he opened his room's door slowly.  
Inside, Shinobu quickly wiped off her tears. Haruka had gone and left her alone with Shinsei, and that made her thought focused only to Shinsei, who was unconscious. "H-Hai...Urashima-senpai..."  
Keitaro went to her and sat next to her. "How's Shinsei-kun?" he asked.  
"I-I don't know..." Shinobu confessed. "He's not responding to anything I said."  
Keitaro sighed. "Shinobu-chan, we're going to try Motoko-chan's plan to attack them frontally. I'd like you to stay here and watch over Shinsei-kun..."  
Shinobu turned to him. "I-Iie...Urashima-senpai, please let me come with you."  
Keitaro frowned. "It'll be very dangerous, Shinobu-chan." he said.  
"Daijoubu. I can take care of myself." said Shinobu. "Onegai...?"  
Keitaro's frowned deepened. "I really don't know why you insisted. Isn't it better for you to stay by his side in case he wakes up?"  
"I want to support Makoto-senpai as well." Shinobu said. Her stare was firm, indicating determination.  
Keitaro silenced. He sighed before nodding.

Makoto, Mitsune, Naru, Keitaro, Sarah and Shinobu rushed outside. Haruka was already by the front door with Mutsumi. Haruka didn't seem interested in the fight at all while Mutsumi was watching them with intent.  
But Makoto was about to turn back into the Inn when she saw Kaolla's attack of unending flow of Tama. "K-Kame..." she stuttered, but Naru managed to hold her.  
"Su-chan! Stop your attack!" Naru exclaimed to her.  
As Kaolla stopped her attack, the flow of Tama ended. The Mecha Boss returned his attention to the Inn.  
Motoko, seeing that the turtles have gone, started to raise her sword. "Ougi Zangan Ken..."  
The Mecha Boss frowned. 'That attack...'  
"...ni..."  
The Mecha Boss looked panicked. He pulled up a hand towards Motoko.  
"...no..."  
A flash jumped from the Mecha Boss's hand towards the Inn residents, drawing screams from all of them.  
"N-Nani kore wa...?" Keitaro asked. "I-I can't move!"  
"M-Me too..." Motoko said. "I-I can't finish my..."  
The Mecha Boss laughed. "Hah, take that." he spat. "Actually, I don't think this new Muscle Freezer Flash is operational already, but I was desperate so..." he raised both shoulders.  
Motoko gritted her teeth. She was so close...  
The Mecha Boss returned serious. "You all have given me enough trouble." he said. He raised an index finger and pointed it to them. Its tip popped off. "I'll kill you all!" he exclaimed. He looked at the residents. "Hmm, where should I start?" he asked.  
The Hinata-sou's residents were stopped in their tracks, unable to move. Motoko gritted her teeth again. She retried on focusing her powers to release herself, but she failed.  
The Mecha Boss smiled menacingly. "Let's start from the youngest, shall we?" he said, pointing his finger to Shinobu.  
"I-Iie...!" Shinobu exclaimed. Tears began to swell on the corners of her eyes.  
"M-Matte (W-Wait)...!" Keitaro exclaimed. "What are you, picking on little girls?!" he exclaimed.  
The Mecha Boss sneered. "I am an evolved Mecha-Tama." he replied. He then returned his stare to Shinobu. "Good bye, little girl." he said as he charged his weapon.  
"Iie...!" Shinobu exclaimed.  
"Shinobu-chan!" the other residents exclaimed, but then couldn't do anything. Their muscles were still frozen.  
Just as a ball of light jumped from the tip of the Mecha Boss's finger, a blur went through the Hinata-sou's front door, blowing Mutsumi's hair and Haruka's pony. And as the ball was about to reach Shinobu, the blur jumped to her front, taking the blow.  
Everyone was astounded. Especially when they realized that it was Shinsei.  
"SHINSEI-KUN!" Shinobu exclaimed.  
The Mecha Boss was stunned, but then he laughed. "Hah hah hah! I've got you now, 5H1N-531!" he exclaimed.  
Shinobu trembled. Tears flowed out of her eyes like the Niagara Falls {Author's note: hmm, a bit hyperbolic}. She screamed, "SHINSEI-KUN!" And suddenly, she was free! She broke out of the Muscle Freezer effect and ran towards the fallen Shinsei. She took him and turned him around to face her. "S-Shinsei-kun..."  
Shinsei opened his eyes and found Shinobu in front of him. "S-Shinobu-chan..." he whispered. "Yokatta, you survived." he said. His image began to flicker.  
Shinobu cried to her might. "Shinsei-kun...please don't die!" she exclaimed.  
Shinsei let out a sigh. "I'm afraid...I have to disappoint you, Shinobu-chan..."  
"Iie...! Shinsei-kun!"  
"Shinobu-chan..." Shinsei raised a hand to touch her cheek, sweeping some of her tears. "Aishiteru (I love you)..."  
Shinobu gulped between cries. "Shinsei-kun..." she whispered. "Aishiteru mo (I love you too)..."  
Shinsei smiled, then his hand fell. But it was gone before it reached the ground, leaving only a burnt Mecha-Tama in Shinobu's hands.  
Shinobu couldn't stand it any longer. "SHINSEI-KUN!!!" She screamed to her heart's might.  
The Mecha Boss and the Hinata-sou residents were still at shock on Shinobu being able to get free from the Muscle Freezer when they saw Shinobu stood up. When she turned around, her face was showing...extreme...anger, sadness, hatred, you name it...all those things. She walked slowly towards the Mecha Boss.  
The Mecha Boss took a step backward. He raised his index finger at her. "Stand back!" he warned, but of course Shinobu wasn't listening. He fired a shot. Shinobu only moved her head left a bit, and the ball missed her, destroying the hot springs fence behind her instead. "Stand back, I said!" The Mecha Boss gave an ultimatum.  
Shinobu began to run. Tears were still flowing out of her eyes.  
Just as the Mecha Boss fired, Shinobu hit his hand with her wrist and sent its aim upward. Then she gave a punch on his cheek with her other hand.  
A second passed before the Mecha Boss's cheek cracked, revealing the metal inside. Apparently, that also destroyed the effect of the Muscle Freezer. Motoko quickly regained her ki and restarted. "Ougi Zangan Ken ni no Tachi!"  
A golden flash struck Shinobu and the Mecha Boss, went through them, and onto the lot of Mecha Tama behind them, destroying most of them. A shiny thing flew from the Mecha Boss and was captured by a Mecha-Tama before it flew away, followed the rest of the Mecha-Tama. Away from the Hinata-sou, but unknown where and whether they will be back.  
Shinobu fell to the ground, next to the now lifeless Mecha Boss. Her senses gave out people running towards them before everything went dark.

Shinobu was sitting on her bed in her dark room. She would've been crying but her tears have dried. Kaolla said that she could fix Shinsei, but she couldn't promise her about his memories. They might be unrecoverable. This means that Shinsei would no longer have emotions, not even his image, meaning that he'll just become a normal Mecha-Tama.  
"Shinsei-kun..." Shinobu whispered.

END...?

Author's Note: sniff...I...sniff....I'm sorry...I was crying when I wrote that last part...sniff...I can't believe how I can be so cruel to Shinobu...Well, The Empire Underneath II ends here. Not to worry, I'm planning to write something about this to make it a happy ending, but it won't be for another while, since I've got end of term tests coming on Monday. If _you_ would like to make a story about Shinobu and Shinsei, be my guest. Please do. But please remember that Shinsei is _my_ custom character, so you should at least mail me if you're going to make a story with him in it. Ja, until next time...

Arsen Dawn  
Storymaster Q[  
StorymasterQ@icqmail.com][1]  
ICQ#: 75282461

   [1]: mailto:StorymasterQ@icqmail.com



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